New York Writer

Budget-Friendly Halloween Ideas

The fall and Halloween season is one of my favorites, but the costs associated with decorating and dressing up for Halloween can be, well… scary.

If you’re searching for affordable costume ideas, the internet (and Pinterest!) can be a great resource. When I was a college student with very little to spend, I once found a “Smarty Pants” costume idea online. All you have to do is attach Smarties Candies all over your pants! Cost: about $6, although drunk people may not get it. Still, it beats spending $50 and up for a pre-packaged costume. Another Tinkerbell? Yawn…

I found this list of 101 Cheap Homemade Halloween Costumes on PopSugar and my favorite is the Firefox costume! You’ll need orange clothing if you don’t already have it, fox ears, a tail, an inflatable globe, and you’re done. It’s perfect if you’re ballin’ on a budget.

Facebook costume. Photo credit: coolest-homemade-costumes.com

Other good costume ideas can be riffs on pop culture and/or things that have been in the news lately. I’ve seen people dress up as a Facebook profile, and I know someone who is dressing as Ebola this year.

A post shared by A Cat Named Dots (@fatcatdots) on Sep 13, 2014 at 12:40pm PDT

Pet costumes can cost a lot as well. The best places to find affordable options are eBay and thrift stores. I picked up this adorable pumpkin costume for Dots from Goodwill for just a few dollars – and it’s brand new!

candy corn nails!

If you’re opting not to dress up this year, Halloween-themed nails can be a fun way to celebrate, too. I came across these Hocus Pocus nails on CollegeCandy.com and there are lots of candy corn manicure options on Pinterest.

Of course, the best day of the year to buy Halloween candy, costumes and decorations is November 1st, when they’re all 50% off. It’s one of my favorite days of the year!